http://airswimmers.com
I want one for my cat, Charlie.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Rolling in Racine
Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day features Racine. Not exactly an astronomy picture, but a cool weather picture. It shows a roll cloud.Roll clouds like this from along advancing cold fronts, and I know those come through Racine occasionally!
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my vivacious violets! How are you? The marvelous weather just keeps on keeping on. The weatherman predicts some heat for Friday. Will that be summer’s last blast? I doubt it. We usually get some hot days in September, too, don’t we? How did it ever get to be the end of August already? Summer just started a couple of weeks ago, didn’t it? Oh my.Our spectacular Green Bay Packers came back from behind last Friday to defeat the Indianapolis Colts. Huzzah! Huzzah! Next, the Packers meet the Kansas City Chiefs tomorrow (Thursday) night at 7 PM in Lambeau Field. Please, dear Packers, annihilate them. Thank you. I know these are only preseason games and therefore they “don’t count,” but my loyalty and love of our wonderful Packers compels me to cheer them on no matter what the circumstances. Go, Pack, go! Overwhelm your opponents and lay waste to them. Huzzah!
This Friday is a First Friday in beautiful downtown Racine. Make the scene to see and be seen. http://www.firstfridaysracine.com/ Monday, Labor Day, is Taste of Racine at the Zoo. Lots of delicious eats and treats. http://www.racinezoo.org/Special_Events/Taste_of_Racine.shtml
Below is a video from The History Channel on Labor Day. I offer it for educational purposes only. The views expressed are those of The History Channel only, and Zoltar® Industries, Inc., LLC, neither endorses nor opposes them.
Thank you for reading my blog and thank you especially for being you. I love my Irregulars and regular readers.
Please send your questions, comments, and subpoenas to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. For those of you who bend an occasional elbow, don’t forget that the police have stepped up patrols for drunk drivers through Labor Day. Do the right thing, don’t drink and drive. Everyone else, please watch out for those who do. Eleutheromania!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Trip Up Mount Graham
Going to get back into this blogging thing again. I have a good reason to post today. I finally got a trip up to the Mount Graham International Observatory today. Mount Graham is near Safford, Arizona and home to some great telescopes.
The drive up the mountain is pretty long with lots of switchbacks. You aren't going to make good time up there. However you are treated to the changing vegetation as you ascend to 10,500 feet and a nice collection of animals.
The first telescope we stopped at was the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), affectionately known as the Pope Scope. The VATT is a relatively modest 1.8 meter diameter telescope but broke new ground, particularly with its f/1.0 mirror, ushering in an era of fast telescope mirror fabrication. Here is the VATT.Next up was the Sub-Millimeter Telescope (SMT), a radio telescope.
The SMT is in a dome and the dish sits right next to the edge of the dome make it virtually impossible to get a decent picture unless the dome is open (which it wasn't).
Of course the big boy on the block is the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The LBT features two 8.4 meter mirrors on a single mount. The light from these two massive mirrors can be combined to create the resolution of one telescope with a diameter of 22.8 meters if I remember correctly. The observatory is active, but still has lots of work being done with the addition of new instruments and an adaptive optics system. Here's a panoramic look from the mirror level.
You can see one mirror. The other mirror is on the far side behind the equipment in the middle. The best pic I got from the floor had me in it as scale model.
The mirror you saw in the previous picture is being supported by those silver supports on the left. The whole telescope can rotate and tip up and down. The scope is so well balanced, the whole thing can be moved by a 4 horsepower motor.
Now I am a fan of the quirky. Moths are very common up on Mount Graham. They have a homemade moth catcher...
That's just what it looks like. The light attracts the moths and the big fan sucks them down into the garbage can.
Finally, I will leave you with a pic showing how close we came to losing the observatory. A fire came within 500 feet in the summer of 2004. You can see where the fire advanced to before it was stopped.
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Jeb Corliss - "Grinding The Crack"
How cool is that? My mind says I'd love to try it, but my guts say something else.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Playing with food
I got enough tomatoes (sorta) and plenty of oregano and basil to try scratch spaghetti sauce. Neighbor Bob tossed me several clumps of garlic from his garden, and I cheated with the mushrooms, celery and thyme. All the rest is from fooling around with my mini garden. We shall see how it works. Got some onion and a carrot. Yes, the recipe I found says carrot. I didn't see the simmer for four hours part.... Should be time for the fridge by bed time. This stuff is better the next day, right?
Freeze drying food
I have an industrial vacuum pump.... Doing some research. Might try to make my own freeze dried foods for storage. Any thoughts?
Saturday, August 27, 2011
"POLL: Should a proposed inner-city candy store be allowed to have security bars on its windows"
The Journal Times is running a poll on Dickert's veto of personal property rights regarding burglar bars on an inner city candy store: http://www.journaltimes.com/polls/html_25273f5a-cdab-11e0-9f75-001cc4c03286.html.
Please vote.
SER's related blog: http://www.jtirregulars.com/2011/08/burglar-bars.html
Filter - "Hey Man, Nice Shot"
OK, I know it's dark. It's also old. And it's also one of those "screamers" that Toad doesn't like. (He's screaming, "A man/Has gun/Hey man/Have fun".) But I've heard this song on the radio three times in the past few days. Is somebody trying to tell me something?
SmellyPoop.com
http://www.smellypoop.com/facts_about_poop.php
Everythihg you always wanted to know, and probably a lot you didn't.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Refrigerators
Have you ever found something lurking in the back of your refrigerator?
Yesterday I saw something, a little baggie hiding out, reached back, pulled it out and it started waving at me!
I bought some beef sticks at Mars Cheese Castle a couple months ago and they accidentally got pushed all the way back. They were scary...
Remember months ago I talked about forming pubic opinion?
Yesterday there were news articles about how Verizon workers had skewed unemployment figures. "They were responsible." I hate it when those that pull the strings outright lie in order to further their goals. Too often now people are just not capable in dealing with simple mathematics and because a news article reinforces their beliefs, they repeat what they read EVEN WHEN IT'S WRONG.
What bothers me most is being censored so the lies perpetuate. Several times now this reply has been deleted from Yahoo news articles repeating the lies.
"Does anyone understand mathematics? Anyone at all? There are 350 MILLION people in America. Of those, over 75 MILLION are employable. That's 75,000,000. If there is 10% unemployment, that's 7,500,000 on Unemployment compensation. Lets say there are 6,000 workers on strike at Verizon. Using simple math, 6,000 of SEVEN-MILLION-FIVE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND, we find that Verizon workers make up LESS than .001% of those unemployed.
Please tell me how Verizon strikers managed to push up unemployment numbers. Seriously, you're being LIED to AGAIN."
Yes, fast with my own figures. There are only 318 million documented people, but also after some research, there were 138 million people with jobs the summer of 08. Almost twice as many as in my quote. In the first five months after the crash, almost NINE MILLION people lost their jobs. Employment is now bouncing around 128,000,000. Also there are 8,000 Verizon workers, but not all applied, not all are Union, and unemployed are much higher then the 7,500,000 in my example.
I'm bothered on so many levels about the fact Americans are no longer capable of simple math or unable to realize a million is a heck of a lot, a billion is far more, and a Trillion is unimaginable. We are so screwed.
What bothers me most is being censored so the lies perpetuate. Several times now this reply has been deleted from Yahoo news articles repeating the lies.
"Does anyone understand mathematics? Anyone at all? There are 350 MILLION people in America. Of those, over 75 MILLION are employable. That's 75,000,000. If there is 10% unemployment, that's 7,500,000 on Unemployment compensation. Lets say there are 6,000 workers on strike at Verizon. Using simple math, 6,000 of SEVEN-MILLION-FIVE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND, we find that Verizon workers make up LESS than .001% of those unemployed.
Please tell me how Verizon strikers managed to push up unemployment numbers. Seriously, you're being LIED to AGAIN."
Yes, fast with my own figures. There are only 318 million documented people, but also after some research, there were 138 million people with jobs the summer of 08. Almost twice as many as in my quote. In the first five months after the crash, almost NINE MILLION people lost their jobs. Employment is now bouncing around 128,000,000. Also there are 8,000 Verizon workers, but not all applied, not all are Union, and unemployed are much higher then the 7,500,000 in my example.
I'm bothered on so many levels about the fact Americans are no longer capable of simple math or unable to realize a million is a heck of a lot, a billion is far more, and a Trillion is unimaginable. We are so screwed.
Four for Fridays
Hello everyone! Welcome back to Four for Fridays after a hectic week of working and errand chasing. Here are some random questions, my friends!
1) If you were given a ticket to see a Packers vs. Bears game at Lambeau, in the middle of December, would you go?
2) Whole milk, skim milk, 1% 0r 2%, what do you prefer to drink?
3) When was the last time you have been to an observatory or planetarium?
4) When was the last time you have been to the library?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) If you were given a ticket to see a Packers vs. Bears game at Lambeau, in the middle of December, would you go?
2) Whole milk, skim milk, 1% 0r 2%, what do you prefer to drink?
3) When was the last time you have been to an observatory or planetarium?
4) When was the last time you have been to the library?
Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other's welcome,
and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger that was yourself.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.
Derek Walcott
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my happy hostas! How are you? I know, I know, I keep extolling the virtues of our wonderful weather week after week, but it just doesn’t end. I must say that this has been the most pleasant August in my recent memory. We did have a cold and wet spring, and wretchedly hot July, so we deserve this. Soak it up, my dears. You never know when Mother Nature is going to get nasty again.As the month wears on, the local events wind down. Below on the right is the usual screenshot from the Journal Times’ online article, “Your guide to summer fun in Racine County,” http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/article_ff8c2baa-7672-11e0-88b9-001cc4c03286.html We still have Music on the Monument, and next week is a First Friday downtown. Huzzah!
To be blunt, there is nothing else in the news that I wish to talk about. Locally, on the state level, nationally, the world – everywhere it appears dismal. Perhaps we need to leave our world to escape its woes. Thank goodness that we have Mr. hale-bopp on board as our guide to the rest of the universe. I’ve been known to travel to some other-worldly realms, too, so we should have all of the bases covered. We gotta get out of this place:
How’s that for a segue? I loved those little Animal guys. And so much voice from such a small young man. Oh deer, I hope you enjoyed the animal side of me. (Get it?)
I enjoyed your visit today to read my blog. Thank you for stopping by. It is always my honor to host you. JT Irregulars! Huzzah! “Long live its fame and long live its glory / And long may its story be told.”
Please send your stories to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Soak up the rays, my dear family, except for those of you who are allergic/sensitive to the sun. Don’t forget the sun block. Don’t forget a hat. An umbrella might be nice. Don’t forget to stay hydrated. Don’t forget to – aw, forget it, just stay home. Ha, ha. I’m joking. I love you all. Nympholepsy!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
"NAACP says Racine Police Department isn't doing enough to recruit minorities"
Bump - The plot thickens: "Another police lieutenant alleges discrimination by chief," http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_e338f6e2-cde6-11e0-98c6-001cc4c03286.html
Originally posted Monday, August 22, 2011, at 2:02 AM:
Originally posted Monday, August 22, 2011, at 2:02 AM:
The Beatles - "You Know My Name"
I am re-posting this simply as a music video. Mary liked it but didn't get to see the whole thing.
From the video description:
"The longest version of 'You Know My Name' I found, coupled with more or less rare footage from the Beatles. Recorded while 'Sgt. Pepper', released in 1970. After McCartney, Evans and Lennon added some extra vocals in 1969, Lennon planed to release (with '...Mary Jane') it as a Plastic Ono single (heavily edited by himself), but the other Beatles prevented it. Even on Anthology there are some parts of the song missing."
Monday, August 22, 2011
I Wish
Another dead child
in the news and again I
think rise up out
of the water, water lilies
pouring over my shoulders
like fire, and
even if the man is dead
now, a suicide, hanging
himself in fact,
the part of me rising
from under water wants to
kill him, truly, for
what was in his eyes
when his eyes snagged
mine to push them back
under. Me a boy,
in the water,
him a drunk on a
pier — watching me
drown, my eyes begging
him, his loving this better
than sex if the eyes
were to be believed.
My father ran down
from the bunkhouse,
how did he know? and
snagged me with
a boat oar, my miraculous
father,
who did not swear,
called that son
of a bitch a son of a bitch
and rummy.
The guy was gangly,
loose in the knees and
elbows, a great tap dancer at
parties. There he was
on the pier,
loose as tap dancer,
not even splashing his highball.
“Hey, the kid can
swim, the kid’s just
foolin’ around, what’s
the big deal?” Nowadays
I see
the school picture of another
one in the paper and I say,
“I know
what the eyes
were, I know what the last
eyes you ever saw
said to you.” And
now, old and foolish, I go on
wishing for them all
that some miracle father
like mine had come
down from the bunkhouse
for every one of them.
--Jim Hazard
I know of Jim Hazard through my late friend, James Liddy. They were both English professors at UW - Milwaukee. According to the Foot of the Lake Poetry Collective, "Jim Hazard was raised in Whiting, Indiana, for which he is grateful to any god anyone can dream up. In Lake County, Indiana, he worked in #3 Open Hearth of Inland Steel Company as a common laborer, also was a hod carrier, a mailman in a research laboratory, a runner for a bookie, and a trumpet player. He graduated from Northwestern University and then University of Connecticut. He published several books and chapbooks of poems between l961 and l985 and then took a leave of absence from writing poems. From 1985 until just recently (when he began writing poems again) he wrote (and still writes) non-fiction, mostly for Milwaukee Magazine, but also for Jazz Times, The Milwaukee Journal, The Onion, and others. He also published fiction in Evergreen Review, Exquisite Corpse, Richmond Review (U.K.), and others. He is a retired school teacher and currently plays second cornet with the Milwaukee Golden Eagle Concert Band."
in the news and again I
think rise up out
of the water, water lilies
pouring over my shoulders
like fire, and
even if the man is dead
now, a suicide, hanging
himself in fact,
the part of me rising
from under water wants to
kill him, truly, for
what was in his eyes
when his eyes snagged
mine to push them back
under. Me a boy,
in the water,
him a drunk on a
pier — watching me
drown, my eyes begging
him, his loving this better
than sex if the eyes
were to be believed.
My father ran down
from the bunkhouse,
how did he know? and
snagged me with
a boat oar, my miraculous
father,
who did not swear,
called that son
of a bitch a son of a bitch
and rummy.
The guy was gangly,
loose in the knees and
elbows, a great tap dancer at
parties. There he was
on the pier,
loose as tap dancer,
not even splashing his highball.
“Hey, the kid can
swim, the kid’s just
foolin’ around, what’s
the big deal?” Nowadays
I see
the school picture of another
one in the paper and I say,
“I know
what the eyes
were, I know what the last
eyes you ever saw
said to you.” And
now, old and foolish, I go on
wishing for them all
that some miracle father
like mine had come
down from the bunkhouse
for every one of them.
--Jim Hazard
http://lakepoets.com/?page_id=563
GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS
A man wakes up in hospital after a harrowing operation.
The surgeon is standing beside him in the bed. He
looks up at the surgeon - full of dread. Our man says
timidly "Well, how did the operation go?". To which
the surgeon replies "Well, I've got some good news and
some bad news".
"What's the good news?"
"We managed to save your testicles"
Our man breathes a big sigh of relief.
"What's the bad news?"
"They're under your pillow".
The surgeon is standing beside him in the bed. He
looks up at the surgeon - full of dread. Our man says
timidly "Well, how did the operation go?". To which
the surgeon replies "Well, I've got some good news and
some bad news".
"What's the good news?"
"We managed to save your testicles"
Our man breathes a big sigh of relief.
"What's the bad news?"
"They're under your pillow".
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
My Brother's keeper.
A neighbor friend has lived with his mom for over 20 years. He is slow thinking and I can type faster with two fingers than he can read. His Mom died and the Will stated to sell the house. The man makes 700 a month. he wanted me to buy the house which is appraised at 60k from the high of 180k just three years ago. His bills won't let him make much of a rent payment at all. I feel guilty for not going forward, but... We both admitted that if he moved in with me it would probably wreck our friendship. His family isn't much if any smarter than him and they aren't holding their doors open to him either. I have this feeling he is going to fall through the cracks of society if something isn't done. Any suggestions?
Friday, August 19, 2011
Really good restaurants
Guys, I need a really, really great restaurant to take Dan out to for his birthday celebration. Any suggestions? I love the Summit, but then they do steak and we all know Dan prides himself on his steaks...Seafood? Something unique? Any ideas?
And, yes, there will be a party on Beejay's! And yes, I do expect you all to come and, yes, Dan will be cooking! Good food to be had and fun and smiles for all!
I'll let you know exactly what our plans are in the coming week with a private message.
Have a wonderful week and stay safe, my friends. Hugs.
And, yes, there will be a party on Beejay's! And yes, I do expect you all to come and, yes, Dan will be cooking! Good food to be had and fun and smiles for all!
I'll let you know exactly what our plans are in the coming week with a private message.
Have a wonderful week and stay safe, my friends. Hugs.
A knock at the door
This guy is sitting at home alone when he hears a knock on the front door.
There are two sheriff's deputies there. He asks if there is a problem...
One of the deputies asks if he is married and, if so, can he see a picture of his wife.
The guy says sure and shows him a picture of his wife.
The sheriff says, "I'm sorry sir, but it looks like your wife's been hit by a truck."
The husband says, "I know, but she has a great personality and is an excellent cook."
Four for Fridays
Welcome back everyone to another amazing episode of Four for Fridays! It's been a long, long week filled with tons of overtime...Tomorrow, I'm sleeping in.... Here's some random questions...
1) How many students were in your high school graduating class?
2) Have you ever gone horseback riding?
3) What's the longest you have ever stayed awake?
4) What's the longest you have ever slept?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) How many students were in your high school graduating class?
2) Have you ever gone horseback riding?
3) What's the longest you have ever stayed awake?
4) What's the longest you have ever slept?
Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my capricious carnations! How are you? My, hasn’t it been a mild August so far? It seems like we had our August heat in July. Of course, the month is barely half over and Mother Nature can be capricious, too.Below is your weekly screenshot from the Journal Times’ online article, “Your guide to summer fun in Racine County,” http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/article_ff8c2baa-7672-11e0-88b9-001cc4c03286.html. There are still plenty of things to do in and about town. The Racine Zoo car show has always been one of Junior’s favorites. Perhaps he and I and Senor Zanza will attend this Sunday. We shall see.
I’m sorry, dear readers, but I don’t have a lot of time to spend on my blog this week. I have been very busy with a number of personal matters, including Senor Zanza’s mother’s health problems, and car problems, and computer problems, and my own health problems. Sometimes it feels overwhelming. That’s when I turn to Madame Zoltar’s® Rejuvenating Tonic and Fuel System Cleaner.™ A couple of snorts of that and everything starts to look rosy again. Plus, one bottle in your gas tank with every oil change prevents sludge buildup. Try it today!
Oh gee, I’m sorry again. I slipped right into a sales pitch. Tee hee. The retail life has me always on the lookout for the next sale. But I don’t do that with my Irregulars or regular readers. You are family. Thank you, family, for reading my blog today. I love you, family. Enjoy the beautiful weather, family. I’m looking forward to the next family reunion at Beejay’s house.
Family feud? Madame Zoltar knows the path to peace: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Don’t forget North Beach or the Dr. Clark Fountain downtown for “water sports.” Cool, refreshing, and free. Splish splash. Whisternefet!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
a Techie question
Please forgive my complete lack of techno savvy, but I have a question for those of you that aren't totally perplexed by this stuff.
I have a regular who has a 'Nook'. He LOVES it. He told me his son has a Kindle that he can't stand and is getting rid of it. The thought of having something other than my desktop computer sounds good, I am not an avid reader but reading on a contraption sounds amazing.
I have toyed with the idea of getting a laptop, then saw the Nook, then lots of commercials and wow, mass confusion on a direction to look.
I do not know much about IPads or Tablets, but they too, look interesting.
I need some ideas as to the best of all worlds for me. Kick butt speed and capacity would be really good. Something that is mobile and can do it all would definitely be wild. Being able to download books and read them on said object would be nice, any ideas guys? I know I'll need to start saving up for whatever I get, and really feel completely at a loss for what is out there, and can't fathom how they work.
To borrow a quote from the hubby -"I got married so I wouldn't have to do that". He's our tech guy but this is stuff beyond his 'data base' per say. So I ask you, my dear irregular family for input, thanks bunches :)
I have a regular who has a 'Nook'. He LOVES it. He told me his son has a Kindle that he can't stand and is getting rid of it. The thought of having something other than my desktop computer sounds good, I am not an avid reader but reading on a contraption sounds amazing.
I have toyed with the idea of getting a laptop, then saw the Nook, then lots of commercials and wow, mass confusion on a direction to look.
I do not know much about IPads or Tablets, but they too, look interesting.
I need some ideas as to the best of all worlds for me. Kick butt speed and capacity would be really good. Something that is mobile and can do it all would definitely be wild. Being able to download books and read them on said object would be nice, any ideas guys? I know I'll need to start saving up for whatever I get, and really feel completely at a loss for what is out there, and can't fathom how they work.
To borrow a quote from the hubby -"I got married so I wouldn't have to do that". He's our tech guy but this is stuff beyond his 'data base' per say. So I ask you, my dear irregular family for input, thanks bunches :)
Monday, August 15, 2011
"Starbucks CEO urges halt to US political donations"
"LOS ANGELES, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) Chief Executive Howard Schultz is winning support for his call to withhold political contributions from U.S. lawmakers until they strike a 'fair, bipartisan' deal on the country's debt, revenue and spending.
"Schultz recently led the world's biggest coffee chain through a painful but successful restructuring that returned it to growth. In his letter on Monday, he also challenged fellow U.S. business leaders to do their part by hiring workers to give the national economy a much-needed jolt.
"NYSE Euronext (NYX.N) Chief Executive Duncan Niederauer and Nasdaq OMX (NDAQ.O) Group Chief Executive Robert Greifeld already have pledged their support.
"'I think that Howard's idea is a great one, and I have told him that he can count on me,' Greifeld wrote in an email to Nasdaq company leaders.
"Schultz's effort comes as wealthy business leaders step up to challenge U.S. politicians who put their partisan bickering on display during the recent debt ceiling debate. That performance helped send consumer confidence to a more than three decade low and was cited when Standard & Poor's downgraded the U.S. credit rating."
"Schultz recently led the world's biggest coffee chain through a painful but successful restructuring that returned it to growth. In his letter on Monday, he also challenged fellow U.S. business leaders to do their part by hiring workers to give the national economy a much-needed jolt.
"NYSE Euronext (NYX.N) Chief Executive Duncan Niederauer and Nasdaq OMX (NDAQ.O) Group Chief Executive Robert Greifeld already have pledged their support.
"'I think that Howard's idea is a great one, and I have told him that he can count on me,' Greifeld wrote in an email to Nasdaq company leaders.
"Schultz's effort comes as wealthy business leaders step up to challenge U.S. politicians who put their partisan bickering on display during the recent debt ceiling debate. That performance helped send consumer confidence to a more than three decade low and was cited when Standard & Poor's downgraded the U.S. credit rating."
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/15/starbucks-politicalgiving-idUSN1E77E1BX20110815
I'm no expert, but this idea sounds good to me. I really believe that most of our politiicnas are in denial and believe that if they continue to do business the same old way for long enough, everything else will go away. They just don't get it. Maybe there have to be riots in the streets before they begin to understand. Maybe they won't even then. Maybe it has to be up close and personal before it penetrates their bullshit. I don't know.
USAF, ALWAYS A LEADER IN TECHNOLOGY
Air Force General: Mr. President, we’ve just invented an invisibility cloak for Air Force One.
Obama: No way?
General; that’s right sir, the plane will be invisible. Will you be going along on its maiden flight?
Obama; Wouldn’t miss it for the world.
General; Have a good trip sir.
Obama: No way?
General; that’s right sir, the plane will be invisible. Will you be going along on its maiden flight?
Obama; Wouldn’t miss it for the world.
General; Have a good trip sir.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
We are Stardust, We are Golden....
In 1969, a monumental music festival changed our world. More than half a million people came together - united in a message of peace, openness and cultural expression – and demonstrated how a generation could be heard. Today, Woodstock lives on. Gathered on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York, they came from all over....changing forever the face of rock and roll-encrypting our minds with images of love and peace....
Woodstock originally was designed as a profit-making venture. It famously became a "free concert" only after it became obvious that the event was drawing hundreds of thousands more people than the organizers had prepared for. Tickets for the event cost $18 in advance and $24 at the gate for all three days. But a late change in venue did not give the festival organizers enough time to prepare. Organizers felt they had two choices. One option was to improve the fencing and security which might have resulted in violence; the other involved putting all their resources into completing the stage, which would cause promoters to take a financial hit. The crowd, which was arriving in greater numbers and earlier than anticipated, made the decision for them. The fence was cut the night before the concert.
During the sometimes rainy weekend, thirty-two acts performed outdoors. Among them were sensational bands like Santana, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, the Who, Jefferson Airplane, Ten Years After, the Band, CSN&Y and Jimi Hendrix. I know, that's a lot of acts!
The influx of attendees to the rural concert site in Bethel created a massive traffic jam. To add to the problems and difficulty in dealing with the large crowds, recent rains had caused muddy roads and fields. The facilities were not equipped to provide sanitation or first aid for the number of people attending; hundreds of thousands found themselves in a struggle against bad weather, food shortages, and poor sanitation.
The festival was remarkably peaceful given the number of people and the conditions involved, the audience, in tune with the idealistic hopes of the 1960s, Woodstock satisfied most attendees. There was a sense of social harmony, which, with the quality of music, and the overwhelming mass of people, many sporting Bohemian dress, behavior, and attitudes helped to make it one of the enduring events of the century.
It is widely regarded as one of the most pivotal moments in rock and roll's music history...I have often wondered what it would be like to have experienced this.
25 years later gave birth to a new generation to the those attended the first. Organizers had come with plans for a second Woodstock to commemorate the anniversary of the original. Of course by then, the times had changed and the music had evolved. Skepticism arose as plans unraveled. Would the memory of the original be tarnished?
Woodstock '94 was settled in a large field in Saugarties, NY, about ten miles away from the original site and it was originally proposed as the location for the 1969 concert for permission to use the property was not granted. Tickets were sold for $135 to try to limit attendance to 250,000 people. Kind of steep price, yet considering the Eagles were charging the same amount for their shows, to see 67 acts in three days seemed fair. An eight foot high fence was erected around the venue to thwart gate crashers.
Instead of driving cross country and paying the big bucks to see this historical event, it was decided that staying at home and spending $50 to watch it on pay per view was a better idea. After all, it was my Woodstock...and I got a free T-shirt out of the deal. So I took the liberty of video and audio taping the ENTIRE concert...
67 acts and a wide diverse amount music covering two stages was presented to the hordes of music fans that came in from all points of the globe. Some new acts as well as the older ones. Among them were Collective Soul, Blues Traveler, Blind Melon, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, Aerosmith, Allman Brothers Band, Green Day, Bob Dylan, Traffic, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Peter Gabriel. Returning from 1969 were Santana, Joe Cocker, Country Joe, CSN and the Band. There was no way I could miss this...
As I was watching this spectacle, I couldn't help to notice how surreal and crazy it was. It was a combination of generations-young and old-in the crowds and in the mosh pits. Body surfing, beach balls and naked people. An experience that felt a reminiscent to the original Woodstock with a modern twist. Rains came down during Saturday afternoon turning the place into "Mudstock". Out came the "Mudpeople" turning hills into mudslides-all caked with mud. By the time Aerosmith hit the stage late Saturday night with a mind blowing show, the crowd had swelled to an approximate 450,000 people. The gates had been taken down, lest people getting injured breaking in. At that point it became a free concert....
By the time I shut down my VCR and stereo, moments after the Sunday night Peter Gabriel finished his set, I was exhausted. Yet I smiled when I went to bed knowing a peaceful show worthy of the Woodstock name would bring up memories of a lifetime for me....
Five years later, as promoters wanted, came another Woodstock. Given the circumstances of the previous peaceful Woodstocks back in '69 and '94, it didn't seem to be a bad idea at first. A Woodstock every five years? The first one was a sacrilege while the second one was a peaceful commemorative, the third one was overkill.
Organizers picked the abandoned Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY, which was about 200 miles away from the original site, to solve the problems dealing with the mud that plagued the previous shows. Tickets were sold for $150 a piece, which were considered expensive that time period standards. Prior to the concert, the promoters of the event were determined to avoid the gate-crashing that had occurred at previous festivals, and had characterized the site as "defensible", describing the 12-foot plywood and steel fence intended to keep out those without tickets. About 500 New York State Troopers were hired for security. Woodstock 99 was conceived and executed as a commercial venture with dozens of corporate sponsors, and included the presence of vendor "malls" and modern acoutrements such as ATM's and e-mail stations.
Over 100 acts came to this event! Among them were Insane Clown Pose, Buckcherry, Korn, Bush, Kid Rock, Counting Crows, Dave Matthews Band, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, Muse, Godsmack, Jewel, Willie Nelson, Creed and Megadeth, Returning from '94 were Collective Soul, Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. No one from the '69 show made an appearance...
Sounds if the promoters finally got it all together....WRONG! Very wrong...
But what went wrong? Crass commercialism for starters. Participants who had not brought sufficient food or water to the show had to either buy from onsite vendors, whose merchandise was expensive: a single-serving pizza sold for $12, bottles of water and soda went for five bucks a pop. The oppressive heat —which reached above 100 F-baking concert goers on the asphalt certainly didn't help matters. One by one, the testosterone driven metal bands pushed the crowds into a frenzy. Some crowd violence and looting was reported during the Saturday night performance by Limp Bizkit, including a rendition of the song "Break Stuff". Violence escalated the next night during the final hours of the concert as the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed. During the band's set, the crowd began to light candles, some also using them to start bonfires. The hundreds of empty plastic water bottles that littered the lawn/dance area were used as fuel for the fire. Many large bonfires were burning high before the band left the stage for the last time. Participants danced in circles around the fires. Looking for more fuel, some tore off panels of plywood from the supposedly inviolable security perimeter fence. ATMs were tipped over and broken into, trailers full of merchandise and equipment were forced open and burglarized, and abandoned vendor booths were turned over, and set afire.
Police investigated four alleged instances of rape that occurred during the concert. Eyewitnesses reported a body-surfing woman being pulled down into the crowd and gang-raped in the moshpit during Limp Bizkit's set. Seven arrests were made on the final night of the concert and, afterward, police reviewed video footage, hoping to identify and hold accountable rapists and looters who, amid the chaos, had not been arrested. Approximately 12 trailers, a small bus and a number of booths and portable toilets were burned in the fray. Six people were injured.
I was so glad that I turned down the $50 per per view for this show. The only acts that I was even interested in at the time were Metallica, Collective Soul, Counting Crows and Dave Matthews Band. It deeply saddened me, to know that the great sacrilege of Woodstock was tarnished by a bunch of assholes....
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Ghost Car
World's only remaining 'Ghost Car' headed for auction... incredible images of the Plexiglas Pontiac expected to fetch almost $500,000.00.
An extraordinary transparent car is set to fetch as much as $475,000 when it goes up for auction.
The motor, dubbed the 'Ghost Car', is a Pontiac Deluxe Six which, bizarrely, has been covered in the see-through material Plexiglas.
Built in 1939 by General Motors and chemical company Rohm and Haas at a cost of $25,000, it was the first transparent full-sized car to be made in America .
One of a kind: The 1939 motor is a Pontiac Deluxe Six which has been covered in Plexiglas, developed just a few years earlier in 1933
Innovative: General Motors and chemical company Rohm and Haas built the vehicle for $25,000 - an astronomical price during the 1930s
Billed as a vision of the future, it was made for the 1939-40 New York World's Fair, where it became a sensation at General Motors' 'Highways and Horizons' pavilion; and it continues to cause a stir today.
Just two were ever made and this model, which has a three-speed manual transmission, and is thought to be the last of its kind.
It has clocked up just 86 miles in its lifetime; and now its set to go on sale for the first time since the early 1980s. It last sold for an undisclosed amount.
American auctioneers RM expect it to sell for between $275,000 and $475,000 when it goes under the hammer on July 30.
Seventy-two years of wear: The Plexiglas does have some chips and cracks but is mostly in good condition, according to auction notes
Not for touring: The collectible is unlikely to be seen on the road
Transparent: Wires and a spare wheel can be seen through the trunk of the car
A spokesman for RM Auctions said: 'The car is in a remarkable state of preservation.
'It's a testament to the longevity of Plexiglas in an era when automotive plastics tended to self-destruct within a few years.
'Although it has acquired a few chips and cracks, it is structurally sound and cosmetically clear, showing off the Ghost Car's innards as it did in 1939.
'This motor still turns heads as much as it ever did. It is not, obviously, suited for touring but as a unique artifact from automotive and cultural history.'
Mechanics: The model has an L-head six-cylinder engine, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes
Turning back the clock: The dial on the 1939 car shows the wear of its 72 years
At the wheel: The steering wheel features rings of chrome-plated hardware, and Pontiac 's insignia in red
Artifact: The car has clocked up just 86 miles in its lifetime; and will to go on sale for the first time since the early 1980s
The car was the result of a collaboration between General Motors and Rohm & Haas, who developed the ground-breaking material Plexiglas in 1933.
The material went on to be used in military planes during World War II and then expanded in to signs, lighting, fixtures, trains and other cars.
Rohm & Haas used drawings for the Pontiac four-door Touring Sedan to create an exact replica body out of the transparent acrylic.
It was completed with structural metal underneath, which was given a copper wash, and chrome-plated hardware.
Sensation: Billed as a vision of the future, the car was made for the 1939-40 New York World's Fair in San Francisco , pictured here
Vintage: The Transparent Car, on display at General Motors' 'Highways and Horizons' pavilion in 1939, has continued to cause a stir since its debut
A BRIEF HISTORY ON THE PIONEERING THE PLEXIGLAS PONTIAC :
The collaboration between GM and Rohm & Haas was made for the 1930-1940 World's Fair in San Francisco
At a cost of $25,000, it was the first transparent full-sized car to be made in America
Two Ghost Cars were made but the 1939-1940 Pontiac Deluxe Six is the only one known to survive
It toured the nation's dealerships and went on display at the Smithsonian until 1947, and was subsequently owned by a series of Pennsylvania Pontiac dealers
This model has a three-speed transmission, a six-cylinder engine, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes
Rubber moldings were made in white, as were the car’s tires. The only recent mechanical work has been replacement of the fuel lines.
The model also boasts an L-head six-cylinder engine, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.
According to the GM Heritage Center, a second car, on a Torpedo Eight chassis, was hurriedly constructed for the 1940 Golden Gate Exposition on Treasure Island, a man-made island in San Francisco Bay .
Once their respective showcases had closed, both 'Plexiglas Pontiacs ,' or 'Ghost Cars' as they were sometimes known, toured the nation’s dealerships. The 1939-40 Deluxe Six is the only one known to survive.
Following the dealership tour, it went on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D.C. and was reportedly there until 1947.
It was later owned by a succession of Pennsylvania Pontiac dealers. It appeared at the first annual meet of the new Pontiac-Oakland Club International in 1973 and was purchased by Don Barlup of New Cumberland , Pennsylvania . Barlup commissioned a partial restoration from S&H Pontiac of Harrisburg and sold it to collector Leo Gephart in 1979.
The current owner’s father purchased it from Gephart in the early 1980s, and it has remained in the same family ever since.
Not surprisingly, it has no conventional vehicle identification number; even the machined boss for the engine number is blank.
A collection of period photos and other memorabilia accompanies the car, which still turns heads as much as it ever did.
An extraordinary transparent car is set to fetch as much as $475,000 when it goes up for auction.
The motor, dubbed the 'Ghost Car', is a Pontiac Deluxe Six which, bizarrely, has been covered in the see-through material Plexiglas.
Built in 1939 by General Motors and chemical company Rohm and Haas at a cost of $25,000, it was the first transparent full-sized car to be made in America .
One of a kind: The 1939 motor is a Pontiac Deluxe Six which has been covered in Plexiglas, developed just a few years earlier in 1933
Innovative: General Motors and chemical company Rohm and Haas built the vehicle for $25,000 - an astronomical price during the 1930s
Billed as a vision of the future, it was made for the 1939-40 New York World's Fair, where it became a sensation at General Motors' 'Highways and Horizons' pavilion; and it continues to cause a stir today.
Just two were ever made and this model, which has a three-speed manual transmission, and is thought to be the last of its kind.
It has clocked up just 86 miles in its lifetime; and now its set to go on sale for the first time since the early 1980s. It last sold for an undisclosed amount.
American auctioneers RM expect it to sell for between $275,000 and $475,000 when it goes under the hammer on July 30.
Seventy-two years of wear: The Plexiglas does have some chips and cracks but is mostly in good condition, according to auction notes
Not for touring: The collectible is unlikely to be seen on the road
Transparent: Wires and a spare wheel can be seen through the trunk of the car
A spokesman for RM Auctions said: 'The car is in a remarkable state of preservation.
'It's a testament to the longevity of Plexiglas in an era when automotive plastics tended to self-destruct within a few years.
'Although it has acquired a few chips and cracks, it is structurally sound and cosmetically clear, showing off the Ghost Car's innards as it did in 1939.
'This motor still turns heads as much as it ever did. It is not, obviously, suited for touring but as a unique artifact from automotive and cultural history.'
Mechanics: The model has an L-head six-cylinder engine, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes
Turning back the clock: The dial on the 1939 car shows the wear of its 72 years
At the wheel: The steering wheel features rings of chrome-plated hardware, and Pontiac 's insignia in red
Artifact: The car has clocked up just 86 miles in its lifetime; and will to go on sale for the first time since the early 1980s
The car was the result of a collaboration between General Motors and Rohm & Haas, who developed the ground-breaking material Plexiglas in 1933.
The material went on to be used in military planes during World War II and then expanded in to signs, lighting, fixtures, trains and other cars.
Rohm & Haas used drawings for the Pontiac four-door Touring Sedan to create an exact replica body out of the transparent acrylic.
It was completed with structural metal underneath, which was given a copper wash, and chrome-plated hardware.
Sensation: Billed as a vision of the future, the car was made for the 1939-40 New York World's Fair in San Francisco , pictured here
Vintage: The Transparent Car, on display at General Motors' 'Highways and Horizons' pavilion in 1939, has continued to cause a stir since its debut
A BRIEF HISTORY ON THE PIONEERING THE PLEXIGLAS PONTIAC :
The collaboration between GM and Rohm & Haas was made for the 1930-1940 World's Fair in San Francisco
At a cost of $25,000, it was the first transparent full-sized car to be made in America
Two Ghost Cars were made but the 1939-1940 Pontiac Deluxe Six is the only one known to survive
It toured the nation's dealerships and went on display at the Smithsonian until 1947, and was subsequently owned by a series of Pennsylvania Pontiac dealers
This model has a three-speed transmission, a six-cylinder engine, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes
Rubber moldings were made in white, as were the car’s tires. The only recent mechanical work has been replacement of the fuel lines.
The model also boasts an L-head six-cylinder engine, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.
According to the GM Heritage Center, a second car, on a Torpedo Eight chassis, was hurriedly constructed for the 1940 Golden Gate Exposition on Treasure Island, a man-made island in San Francisco Bay .
Once their respective showcases had closed, both 'Plexiglas Pontiacs ,' or 'Ghost Cars' as they were sometimes known, toured the nation’s dealerships. The 1939-40 Deluxe Six is the only one known to survive.
Following the dealership tour, it went on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D.C. and was reportedly there until 1947.
It was later owned by a succession of Pennsylvania Pontiac dealers. It appeared at the first annual meet of the new Pontiac-Oakland Club International in 1973 and was purchased by Don Barlup of New Cumberland , Pennsylvania . Barlup commissioned a partial restoration from S&H Pontiac of Harrisburg and sold it to collector Leo Gephart in 1979.
The current owner’s father purchased it from Gephart in the early 1980s, and it has remained in the same family ever since.
Not surprisingly, it has no conventional vehicle identification number; even the machined boss for the engine number is blank.
A collection of period photos and other memorabilia accompanies the car, which still turns heads as much as it ever did.
Friday, August 12, 2011
The Invisible Man
He uses no trick photography;
He just paints himself.
The last picture is amazing!
Here's a hint:
Look by the front tire.
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